1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a hinge device for a portable terminal. More particularly, the present invention relates to a rotary-type hinge device adapted to open/close a flip or a folder of a portable terminal from/on the body of the terminal and to rotate the flip or folder, while it is opened, in such a manner that the front and rear surfaces thereof can be reversed.
2. Description of the Related Art
Typically, portable terminals are classified as bar-type terminals, flip-type terminals, or folder-type terminals according to their appearance.
Bar-type terminals have a single body housing, on which data input/output means and transmitter/receiver modules are positioned. Flip-type portable terminals have a body, a flip, and a hinge device for connecting the body to the flip. Folder-type terminal have a body, a folder, and a hinge device for rotatably connecting the body to the folder. The folder-type terminal is opened/closed as the folder is rotated and has the advantage of having a compact size. For this reason, folder-type terminals have been increasing in popularity.
Recently, a terminal has been manufactured which has a pair of housings adapted to be opened/closed through a sliding or swing motion while the housings are facing each other. A complex-type terminal also has been manufactured, which is configured as a folder-type terminal and can perform a swing motion.
An example of a hinge device for realizing the opening/closing motion of the complex-type terminal is disclosed in Korean Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2003-17321 (Mar. 3, 2003) filed by the present applicant, which corresponds to U.S. Patent Application No. 226,712 (Aug. 23, 2002), the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. The hinge device is a rotary type and has a folder which can be rotated, while it is opened, in such a manner that the front and rear surfaces thereof can be reversed.
Portable terminals are undergoing rapid improvements not only in their appearance, but also in their function. For example, portable terminals equipped with camera lens assemblies already occupy a significant market share in the portable terminal market and the quality of the images produced are comparable to that of digital cameras.
However, it is inconvenient to take pictures or images with a camera lens assembly, which is positioned on a portable terminal, due to its position because portable terminals have been developed mainly as a communication device and their convenience as a photography device has not been sought. Such an inconvenience has been alleviated more or less by the complex opening/closing motion of folder-type terminals, such as a swing motion, reversion of the front and rear surfaces of the folder, and the like.
However, although the above-mentioned inconvenience of portable terminals as a photography device may be alleviated by the complex opening/closing motion, portable terminals still have a problem in that the motion cannot be performed in a stable manner. Moreover, the folder cannot be maintained in a stable state when it is opened. This makes it difficult to take pictures using the terminals.